Belgian Hitch a Multi-Generational Family Affair
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Belgian hitch a multi-generational family affair By Donna Sullivan, Editor Once the horses are on There are old photo- the farm, there is a daily graphs of Carl and Kala training protocol of four Ade playing with horses to six hours a day and all together on the kitchen weekend. They typically floor at one of their hous- bring the horses in off pas- es in Salina, as a mutual ture in April, shoe them love of draft horses often and start getting some brought their two families training started in April together. Their friendship and May, with the goal of eventually blossomed having them peak around into something more, and the first week of August today the young couple, when the show season re- along with their two-and- ally gets going. a-half-year-old daughter Their days start at 6 Abigail, are continuing a a.m. when they take the family tradition of raising horses into the barn to get and showing draft horses their grain. “It’s cooler at their home outside of and the flies aren’t as bad, Manhattan. they love it indoors,” Carl The family’s history said. Kala, who works from with draft horses is long. a home office, will do the Carl’s great-grandfather chores at noon, then at 5 actually imported Perche- when they get off work, the ron horses from France. horses are fed again and His parents, Steve and the evening training rides LeAnn Ade, got their first begin. They drive three or team in the 1980s and used four teams for twenty to them to farm. In the 1990s thirty minutes each and when Carl and his brother have a variety of things got older they expanded they train them on. Every- to the hitch aspect of the thing has multiple seats horses after some friends so Carl, Kala and Abigail who owned a Percheron Carl Ade has taken over as the main hitch driver, a role his father Steve used to fill. Courtesy photos can all ride together. “Our hitch invited the boys to attend a couple of shows with them and drive in the youth classes. “There are two worlds of the draft horse,” Carl said. “Traditional farming and pleasure teams, and then there’s the hitching side of it. And they saw that on the hitch side and in the competitions, there was a lot of camaraderie between the competitors and there was a way for the kids to get involved.” So Steve and LeAnn sold Kala competes in the ladies cart class at the shows the farm team and bought a team of more athletic, they attend. hitch-type horses. In time men’s cart and unicorn they built up to a six-horse classes. Sometimes they daughter loves to ride, hitch. will have an amateur class so it’s definitely a family Carl explained that an- entry and their nephew affair,” Carl said. On the other reason they went to- has competed in the youth weekends both sets of par- wards the hitch side of the cart class in showmanship. ents will come over and competitions, where up to And as they’ve devel- that’s when they’ll hook eight horses are hitched oped the hitch, the awards four, six or eight horses to a wagon, was because Carl, Kala and their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Abigail are shown with two have come. They’ve won on a wagon at the same there were classes for of the Belgian draft horses that make up their hitch. the Kansas State Fair six- time. “That just takes youth, lady driver only, horse hitch a couple of more hands, so on week- one horse, ladies driving times, and the Oklahoma ends everyone comes over a pair of horses, a pair State Fair. One of their and we’ll throw something of horses for any driver. horses, Rocky, compet- on the barbecue and drive “You’re there for two to ed in the halter class last all the horses all weekend three days and compete year as a three-year-old long.” in a variety of classes,” and won grand champion While it might look like he said. “There is literally and supreme champion in a lot of work for the horses, something for everyone.” five state fairs in the re- Carl says that is what Bel- Through the early 2000s gion, making him a Bronze gians love to do. “There’s they competed at county Medal winner for the Bel- a reason if you go back in and state fairs in Kansas, gian merit program. history and look at what Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska But before the competi- horses were used for on and Oklahoma. tions start, there is a great the farm in the Midwest, a In about 2003 or 2004, deal of work and training lot of times it was Belgians with Carl and Kala in col- that goes into the hors- because they like to work. lege, the horses were sold es and it all begins with If you take a couple of and all the equipment selection. Carl and Kala days off with these horses, placed in storage, where it select for body size, body they’ll start tearing stuff stayed for about a decade. type and height. “Sever- up because they want to be “Everybody was busy so al of our horses are 18 to messed with.” the horses kind of had to 18-3 hands tall,” Carl ex- The Ades have horses take a back seat,” Carl plained. “So making sure as young as four and up to said. Carl earned his Ph.D. they fit in is one of the first thirteen years old. “You at Kansas State University The horses travel in a 53-foot semi trailer to shows around the country. things. Then do they have train based off the individ- and was on faculty at the careers started and to a described. “So we’ve got row a horse. Everyone is the athleticism to look ual horse,” he said. “The University of Oklahoma point where we could start some high school boys who very competitive but very good on a trot? That weeds younger horses can’t work and Kala, who also gradu- buying horses,” Carl said. want to learn to do some helpful and friendly.” out a lot of horses pretty as hard because they are ated from KSU, had taken They purchased a pair of of this, and our nephews Kala typically com- quickly.” They buy many still developing, but need a position as an architect Belgians and the two of come along. It’s a band of petes in the ladies cart of their horses at auction, the hours because they are with GHS Equine Archi- them began competing on gypsies, if you will – fam- class, where a single horse where they only have a still learning. The older tects. “We kind of got our a small scale, with Carl’s ily and friends that make is hooked to a two-wheel few yours to look the hors- horse knows his job and parents helping out at this all happen.” The hors- cart. There are also class- es over. “And strategize,” just needs to be in shape.” some of the shows. es travel in a 53-foot semi es with a team of two hors- Kala added. Logistically, feeding Then Carl got the op- trailer and they also have es on the wagon, as well as “Then, because we are eight Belgian geldings portunity to come back to a 40-foot cargo trailer that a four, six or eight horse a family hitch, will it mesh is no small feat. Hay is Kansas State University holds the hay, grain and hitch, with different cat- with the family? We don’t measured in semi loads, and accepted a position tack, as well as a big kitch- egories such as gelding, want a renegade. We want Kala said. For the winter as assistant professor of en cart that allows them to mare or breed. one that is going to have off-season, they purchased cardiovascular physiology cook meals at the barns. “Some shows you will a calm demeanor.” Carl 65 round bales for the eight in the department of kine- “It’s kind of a big caravan hook all eight at once, admits it’s a bit of a gam- head. To get through the siology. “My parents saw that travels,” said Carl. but that’s few and far be- ble and not every horse six months of training sea- the opportunity where we In the United States tween,” Carl said. “So we has worked out. “ A lot of son, they bought 40-50 big could all come back to- there are about 150 of always take whatever we times you just have to take square bales of hay. Each gether as a big family and these hitches, and about have because there are a chance and bring them horse gets about fifteen really expand the hitch,” 50 shows are held across so many classes you can home, and that’s when pounds of grain a day. “We he said. “Because growing the U.S. and Canada. The work in horses here and being a trainer and being feed a lot because we’re up it was my parents’ in- Ades go to six to eight there to keep them fresh. a horseman comes into training a lot,” Carl stated. come driving the hitch and shows a year, and continue We’ve found that if a horse play.